Not much has been going on recently as I've been busy with other things. Here's a small update mainly done by other people.

Ball joints were OK, 555 units however the boots had perished from sitting out for 20 years so bought new ones. Pic 2 more plating work complete. Somehow I always manage to forget about something.

Front seat belt height (tongue) retainers blasted and power coated. Pic 2, I thought the best way to clean the fuel line from 20years of sitting around filth was to send them away for a cleansing bath and then had them zinced again. Came out nice although the originally most likely didnt have the gold chromate colour.

Pic 1, fuel lines are pretty long so who ever does them will need a huge tank. Pic 2... old grease being cleaned out.

Springs and retaining screws zinced. Pic 2, Watanabe wheels will now not be sold, wheels are now 110. Old steel stud inserts were knocked out and new ones put in. This is a cheap way of putting impossible to find wheels onto your early Mazda. This is the front 6.5 A Type Wat.

Rear 7" A type Wat that will be fitted. I've sort of decided on tyre sizes. Rims will be cleaned and either painted in saturn black or a magnesium colour. To be decided ! Pic 2, new strut tops for the struts were bought from Mazda.

Best way to assemble (top nut) is with a rattle gun, they look really good. Koni inerts fitted.

New plated nuts and washers.... pic 2 Strut installed, everything is so clean

MSF did the brake conversion, Marus supplied new grease seals and bearings.

Stub axle stiffener going in which helps transfer the load off the axle assembly. The end nut is done up full tight effectively making the stub axle behave as though its larger than what it really is, thats the short of it.

Pic 1, the front Wat spins freely without hitting anything including steering arms. Pic 2 Will need to clean up the hubs when my mate gets back from holidays.

Caliper fit is spot on center, the rotor is exactly where it needs to be. Pic 2, I ditched the sealed beams and replaced them with some semi sealed Hella's. Apparently the optics on these lights are phernominal and so they should be for the price. I got some relays out of a EA Falcon to reduce the load on the column switch. It will make the car nicer to drive in the evenings should I choose to do so. The sparky said it wasnt necessary to upgrade the cabling but was a good idea while I was at it. I will keep original style sealed high beams. What amazed me and lead me down this path is the absolute crap that retailers sell these days (sealed beams). They call them landing lights, they look cheap, the optics look questionable. If and when my car grows wings and I need drop out of the sky from 30,000 feet to land at some airport I'll consider them at that point !

I don't have the part number for the strut tops on me. I had a friend check out the Mazda system the other day, there is zero stock in Japan. Apparently Mazda are doing another run of them but will take 6 weeks so give your dealer a call in 8 weeks.

I ordered a second set for the next car but haven't recieved the invoice with all the details. These have to be ordered from Mazda Japan via a local dealer.

The Hella's will be far better than anything else around, there's various globe options available that are ADR compliant. Lots of cheap stuff around, unfortunately that's exactly what most of it is... cheap useless junk ! I had a look around a wrecking yard for a good pair of original sealed beam high beams, no luck unfortunately for a part that was common not too long ago. I thought about buying semi sealed high beams but can't justify the expense for something that will never get used. They "highs" are more expensive than the ones I bought, no idea why.

The part number for the strut tops is BB62-34-390 as posted on AR. They are currently out of stock but give Mazda a try in 6 to 8 weeks as they are doing another run of them. The caps that go on to the strut tops to cover the shock thread are available as well to complete the setup for those interested. Its probably a generic part for most early Mazdas including the Rx7's.

......more work getting done

Brakes are being fitted with new seals to make sure there are no leaks. While I'm at it there will be new flex lines made to connect the caliper to the inner guard. Note that these 4 spots have a hydraulic circuit between the halves.

New hardware was used to mount the headlights, the plastic clips had to be drilled out to accept the new screws.

The new globes are H4 style which are replaceable. I bought relays out of a EA Falcon so the power doesn't run through the combination switch as these no longer grow on trees ! The wattage (power consumption) isn't much more that what the standard sealed beams used however they provide a lot more light thanks to technology and better optics.

There's a rubber grommet on the rear side to keep moisture out. You can also see they use the standard H4 plug. Pic 2, genuine Mazda lenses that I found some time back for a fair price.

I reco'd the Mazda backings, fitted new wiring and insulation. Yes you can buy new repro ones for 13.99 but I like to use as much original stuff as possible. It seems a waste to throw them in the bin when they are repairable within 20min, faster than you can find them online, click the buy button and enter your credit card details :-s Pic 2, the car finally has a face. I once disliked the 10a front end but I now much prefer it over the 12a front end. Same goes for twin dizzies, they have an unusually cool appearance.

...and here are the oil injection holes that I brought up last post, for the non technical these provide some of the lubrication for the apex seals. I thought they were a little small, apparently not.

I had the horns zinc plated, they were horribly discoloured. You can see I made new gaskets, more on these once they are complete. Pic 2, I reco'd the pressure button radiator cap. The one on the left is brand new and sourced off Yahoo Auctions Japan, the one on the right is the original that I had replated and looks slightly better than the brand new one.

Some general shots, engine bay coming together. I had hoped to have installed the pure old school coolness 48IDA Weber but that will be covered under a future update. I've got a couple of unique ideas for that update. Pic 2, clutch bracket installed just need to make the steel hard lines.

Pic 1, people frequently ask questions regarding torquing nuts and bolts especially in relation to multi piece wheels. The fact is there are no torque secrets, physics is physics. All you need is an accurate torque wrench and know the tensile strength of the nuts and bolts. I downloaded a couple of charts, they both displayed similar values (not exact same). My Australian made deflection style torque wrench is one of my favourite tools which I bought 20 years ago, cost me a fair bit of money back then. Pic 2, good old Hylomar for sealing the new diff. You brush it on, let the vapours evaporate, then bolt the faces together.

So... first we start with a nice clean diff housing. Pic 2, new LSD going in. Thanks go to Issy from SelectMaz for looking after me. It was checked over by his diff guy and deemed to be 100%, the only thing that was replaced were the bearings for good measure.

Even the diff housing internals are spotless. Pic 2, diff mated to housing using replated hardware, and before you ask yes I do appear to be suffering some sort of disorder ! Ric Shaw mentioned the Mazda diff is more than strong enough for a circuit car, the only people that seem to break them are the ones that do skids everywhere, hard to argue with his experience.

Hard lines going on.... new flex line will be made to replace the original. Pic 2, a comparison of the new 808 diff housing and the original 10a diff housing (dirty one). They are virtually identical, differences being the top mount hydraulic hose splitter location, and the 10a diff uses studs instead of bolts. I'm told there are different 808 types, I think my replacement is from a late model 808 car and also uses different length axles like 10a cars.

A close up of the main difference. The studs are removable from the 10a diff incase you were wondering. Pic 2, Got the rear suspension apart. What a job ! Someone had used ill fitting nolathane bushes and to top it off incorrect sizes. The end result is a rear end that is bound up and doesn't function. Very frustrating job pulling it apart. These will be correctly rebushed and then be cleaned up and painted in flexible enamel.

No rear wheels, waiting for rear end to be fitted with new bushes.

And finally I dropped the front end back onto it's wheels after rebuilding the front end with new shocks and lower springs. I'm very happy with how the front end sits. I think if you went much lower you'd need to shorten the shocks to give them more travel. I'm sure it will settle a little bit lower but I'm not fussed if it doesn't. I love the steel wheels without the dress rims but have a set of alloys to go as an alternative. One thing I did notice is that the front stabliser bar seems to have introduced a fair bit more caster over standard. I don't know the specification or manufacturer as it was fitted to car when purchased. I checked the steering motion and there is no guard clipping. The alloys will get some sticky 185s on the front, I could probably go to 195 but I may be pushing my luck. The 175 tyres on the steel rims don't hit the guard or the inner skirt.

I don't intend on selling it so it'll be doing the rounds once it's running.

I've organised to have custom flexy front brake lines made to suit the front calipers and a new flexy brake line for the rear diff. Also bought new steel tubing to make the hard clutch line and front brake lines which were missing. I've still got the long brake line that runs from front to rear but will need to check it out to make sure its useable.

I had the option of using either rubber or stainless braided lines for the front flexy brake lines. In the end I opted for the standard looking rubber ones as they give the car a much better brake feel for a street car. I still have the braided lines off the race car if I change my mind. I'm determined to not loose site that this is a street car first and an occasional track car second. In the past I've gotten carried away with things and ended up with a pig of a car that ended spending most of it's time locked away.

Instead of buying a good flaring tool ($300+) I've decided to have the brake place flare the ends once the lines are made.

You should get started on the Rx2 Benn otherwise it will be another 10 years before you look at it again !

Clutch and brake lines made up with the exception of one which has to be redone.

Clutch just needs some fluid now.

For the person that thinks they know it all (not me !), Mazda used different fastening methods around the brake hydraulics.Pic 1, Typical Mazda wire clamps around the master hose joins. Pic 2, I'm using a splitter to complete the front brake circuit, from what I can tell there are 2 types used depending on your car. You'll see in a later photo that there is another type as well.

Pic 1, this is another type that I've seen used on the other end of the hydraulic hose. Pic 2, I actually think I have stainless wire and a wire wrap tool somewhere used for this exact purpose. The spare master cylinder will be rebuilt for the next car.

The start of my troubles, fitting the carb to the Mazda Weber insulators.Step 1 was to remove the studs as these arent required on the factory insulators. Step 2, drill out the threads as the studs need to be attached to the insulators. That's how they are designed anyhow. While I was at it I made sure the oil injection pipes weren't blocked.

Made some base gaskets.... Pic 2 problem, there isn't enough room to fit a nut on the underside of 2 of the studs. I'm thinking of now removing the manifold and milling some clearance subject to there being enough material to work with. If that is a no go I'll need to replace with bakelite insulators and use helicoils so I can screw studs back into the manifold #-o Got caught off guard with this one. I'll haven't given up hope, looking at alternative fasteners for the job. Looks like if I used a peripheral port motor I wouldn't have had this particular problem at least.

Weber looks real good there, hopefully there won't be clearance problems between the air filter and the bonnet. I'm going to customise a K & N air filter and get rid of the chrome bling factor. I prefer a factory style look over polishing and chroming everything + I couldn't be stuffed polishing parts on a continous basis under the bonnet.

One thing that has become apparent with this car is how serviceable alot of the old parts are ie alternator, starter, regulator, radio, washer motor etc. I've deliberately reused all these old parts over new replacements. After speaking with the auto electrican that has supplied me with bits and pieces a common problem with new electrical parts is the hit and miss quality. I know it doesn't apply to everything, but why throw out something like a starter motor when all it needs is maybe a set of bushes and a soleniod at most especially when I can service these components myself.

Rear end is pretty much sorted now, I have a shipment on the way from Japan to complete the rear suspension. This and a few other items are now a few weeks away unfortunately. The brake place should finish the flexable lines this week. For now I'll continue working on things under the bonnet. Probably about time I fitted the fuel lines and got started on the headers.

You should get started on the Rx2 Benn otherwise it will be another 10 years before you look at it again !

Haha yeah I know. You will have almost finished a 12a coupe by the time I get back into mine.....

Plans are to finish the house, which I reckon will take another 12 months, and then build a new garage. Trying to get the wife to agree to a 4 car one as our house has rear access.....then onto the coupe....

Next car is a MK 1 Ford Escort which will get done over summer. Not sure how far we'll be going with it though. I'd like to give it a tarmac rally look, these cars appear to have more world wide appeal and you can buy practically anything for them. The great thing about these old Escorts is you don't need to pay a bomb for new old stock parts as there is a vast range of quality aftermarket suppliers. Fortunately there appears to be more and more aftermarket suppliers for old Mazdas.

Next car is a MK 1 Ford Escort which will get done over summer. Not sure how far we'll be going with it though. I'd like to give it a tarmac rally look, these cars appear to have more world wide appeal and you can buy practically anything for them. The great thing about these old Escorts is you don't need to pay a bomb for new old stock parts as there is a vast range of quality aftermarket suppliers. Fortunately there appears to be more and more aftermarket suppliers for old Mazdas.

great stuff mate, wont be long untill you get to fire her up! what a day and achievement that will be!! a 4 car garage is where its at, mine is a 5 as ive made a workshop thats blocked off from the rest of shed, but plans are in the makeing for a new extra cave, 20x4 ..

mk1 escort is a great next choice, especially with the NOS pannels still avalible and at decent prices.. couldnt believe it when my mate told me what he paid for a nos front end..

what motor do you think you will use? being in london now, i do hear a cosworth calling

Hi gypsyAm speechless at the quality and thoroughness of your build. Many thanks as your work is a true inspiration and has helped me set the direction for my build and is constantly a source of reference. All the best of luck completing the build and I am truly in awe of your skills.CheersOKR-612

Thanks......and you are lucky to have somewhere with that much space, I'm envious of you :)

Some issues with the factory Weber insulators, will post pics so others using them will know what to check out before assuming they are good to go. Discovered purely by accident. For the time being I will put new threads in the manifold so I can install the studs and use bakelite insulators. Going round in circles but better to be inconvienced now rather than in the middle of now where on a long drive. Also the twin original horns are looking really good, will put up photos soon.

Normally I wouldnt do this but someone that I have been helping out in the USA with bits and pieces has to sell their genuine Rx3 Wagon for health reasons. I've never had a problem with my dealings with Ian. Here is his ebay adhttp://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Mazda-Ot ... 4abd61f412

For Australian Rx3 Wagon enthusiasts, it's worth investigating. Ian has all paperwork so getting import approval should be straight forward. You are probably looking at around the 4K mark give or take depending on who and how you use to get the car here. For people in the US it's even easier. The fact that the car is located in an english speaking country should make importing so much easier. Just be mindful of the time difference and his situation before calling him.

At it's current price the car is a bargain and you'll be spending big dollars to build anything equivalent locally.

Sorry to hear the circumstances have changed and caused the sale for you friend. Looks to be a nice wagon. Back to your project and I keep looking at the pictures. I'll just say, F$%K yes is your car looking so good! One question, your coupe is pictured on 13 inch rims. do they fit with your new brakes?

Standard wheels will need hub adapters bolted on to fit the steel wheels. They still need to be sourced. I know I said I wouldn't do it but the calipers have now been sent away for black zinc plating. The rest of the brake and suspension bolts were dropped off for zinc plating as well except in the gold colour. Hopefully that's the last of the plating.

I also had the paint mixed for the watanabe wheels, I've colour matched the factory steel rims. I've got a few bits and pieces to paint now that the weather has warmed up.

Should have a bulk lot of parts arrive from Japan in the next few weeks.

He gypsy, i think there's missing something from your brakes....Don't you have a brake pressure limiter valve?if you don't have one, i strongly recomment to fit one, when possible. Even with a brake pressure limiter valve, the rear end locks up somethimes.